Learn more about our Insight Java tours:

Interested in really getting to know the culture and people of Indonesia? Or are you looking for that hidden paradise that can only be reached on foot or by bicycle? Our Insight tours are our signature tours of a few days that will give you a taste of the real spirit of Indonesia. Combine Insight tours with the Discover tour of your destination to go off the beaten track, but not forgetting to visit the more known, but equally interesting sights.

Insight West Java

Tour itinerary Insight West Java

9

days

Day 1: From Jakarta to Serang
Day 2: To Sumur via Baduy area
Day 3: Ujung Kulon, canoeing
Day 4: Ujung Kulon, walks and snorkeling
Day 5: Transfer to Pelebuan Ratu
Day 6: To Halimun Park, stay in local village
Day 7: Back to Pelebuan Ratu
Day 8: Pelabuan Ratu walk surrounding
Day 9: Transfer to Jakarta, Bogor, Bandung

tour themes

highlights west java

hidden tribes

Western Java is home of the Baduy people . Around 6000 people live here spread over 40 villages. Visit the villages and get to know the people and their traditions .

ujung kulon national park

You will continue your way to the border of the Ujung Kulon national park to spend the night. With clear weather you can see the Krakatau volcano in the distance. Ujung Kulon (a Sundanese word that means ‘west point’), is covered in a dense rainforest . The park is the habitat of the Javanese one-horned rhino ; there is only a limited amount of them left. The fauna and flora are diverse, the beach is beautiful white and the coral colourful.

With a canoe you explore the river that flows through rainforest and mangroves, looking for wild animals . An extensive grassland where wild deers and banteng graze and where peacocks show their feathers can be visited as well. In the tropical rainforest you will make a trekking through the forest and along a rough coastline before snorkeling above colourful corals .

halimun park

Halimun Park is the start of a unique adventure . It is one of the least visited national parks of Java. This is not surprising because the park is situated on an altitude of 1200 meters and exists for the main part of small valleys and steep in mist-shrouded mountaintops that rise up to 1929 meters. You will spend a night in the home of a traditional community that lives within the borders of the national park. In the evening the villagers will play the angklung , a bamboo music instrument, typical for the Sundanese people .

You can follow the villagers with their daily activities; working in the rice fields, restocking fish, collecting and producing palm sugar, pounding rice, etc. After a local lunch you will walk to the next village, passing undisturbed tropical rainforest and extensive sawahs; the view on the surrounding mountains is breathtaking.

Insight South West Java

Tour itinerary Insight South West Java

8

days

Day 1: From Bandung to Sundanese village
Day 2: Sundanese village to Cipanas via Malabar
Day 3: Volcanoes of Cipanas
Day 4: Cipanas to Pangandaran
Day 5: Pangandaran, Green Canyon Trip
Day 6: Pangandaran to Wonosobo
Day 7: Dieng Plateau, village tour with meal
Day 8: Wonosobo to Magelang or Yogya

tour themes

local life

adventure

nature

highlights south west java

cangkuang temple

Start in Bandung to visit mountain villages with their cool climates, rice terraces and hot springs. By horse cart and bamboo rafts you will visit a beautifully located temple in a lake covered with pink lotus flowers.

sundanese culture

Visit a volcanoe from which the crater is riddled with bubbling mud pools, steam vents and crumbling sulphur. Another great visit is that of a very traditional Sundanese village nestled between mountains and rice fields. It is home to more than 100 families who preserve the old ways of life despite the modernity around them. The architecture is typical Sundanese with houses made from split bamboo and its roofs are thatched with ijuk , fibers of the sugar palm.

peninsula in the south sea

Your next destination is an idyllic place, more like an overgrown fishing village situated on a narrow isthmus near the border with Central Java. It has a beautiful beach and a national reserve filled with monkeys, wild cattle and other animals just on walking distance. The colorful fishing boats can be found on the beach. The atmosphere is very relaxed and friendly. Watch fishermen return from sea with their fresh catch; walk through the national reserve and spot all sorts of animals or take a boat to a spectacular canyon , great for adventurous swimming. It is also a good place to see the making of the wayang golek puppets , the well known Sundanese three-dimensional puppets.

abode of the gods

Head eastward to Dieng-plateau , situated at an altitude of more than 2000 meter. On the way the views are breathtaking, allowing you to enjoy vast views of agriculture fields and volcanoes. At this mystical plateau the oldest Hindu temples in Java were discovered. The name ‘Dieng’ comes from Di-Hyang (Abode of the Gods), and it is thought that this was once the site of a flourishing temple-city of priests. Several of the once hundreds of temples have been restored. You will visit these as well as a blue-green colored sulphur lake . See some impressive fumaroles and craters before you will drive to the highest located Central-Javanese village where you will eat together with the locals. It is also a great area for a walk downwards through agriculture terraced fields and small villages, almost everywhere enjoying vast views.

Tour itinerary Insight Borobudur

3

days

tour themes

culture

food

cycling

nature

highlights borobudur

sunrise over borobudur

Just before dawn, around 04:30 AM, when the first lights are about to emerge you start to get ready to witness a magical sunrise . Slowly but surely the Borobudur is coming into shape as the sun is rising and a colour spectacle surrounds the area. It might not always be a perfect sunrise, but the surroundings make it a mystical experience.

traditional 'monk's' picnic breakfast

When most visitors have left the hill a traditional Indonesian picknic breakfast in relevance to the history of the Borobudur is set for you. After this tasty breakfast you jump back on the bike and cycle through quaint villages in the surrounding area.

cycling through enchanting magelang

To get to the hill for the sunrise and breakfast, you will cycle to the foot of the hill from where a short walk is due until you reach the viewpoint . After breakfast you will cycle through small villages and enjoy the amazing surroundings. Stop along the way to visit a few home industries

walk through rice fields

While you are staying near the Borobudur, it is definitely worth to visit the lush green rice fields of Selogriyo . For almost an hour you walk through the beautiful valley of terraced rice paddies and you can help the locals working the fields until you get to a stairway that takes you up to a small Hindu temple .

lunch with a view

Once you reach the temple, a well deserved delicious picnic lunch on the grass field will be set for you. Relax and enjoy the food, coffee, tea and amazing views.

Tour itinerary Insight Yogyakarta

3

days

tour themes

culture

cycling

food

local life

highlights yogyakarta

walk through the real jogja

Explore the lively neigbourhoods of Yogyakarta by different modes of transportation! On foot you will follow the Code river that is the centre of the bustling, vibrant and most populated neighborhood in the city. A great way to meet the local people and see how they spend their daily lives. It is advised to do this walk in the afternoon as the city truly gets more alive in the late afternoon.

street food fun

Another fun way to explore the various areas of Yogyakarta is on the back of motorbikes and going on a culinary journey . Visit some special food stalls, push carts and of course taste all of Yogya’s traditional delights! You’ll be eating so much, you probably don’t need dinner anymore.

city & kampung tour by horsecart or bicycle

Not only the city of Yogyakarta is worth visiting, there are rural areas just out of town that are not often visited, but actually should be. By bicycles or a traditional horsecart you can explore the major sights of the city first before heading to the surrounding villages where you visit some home industries and can even lend a hand.

tour themes

highlights solo

economy train ride

Take another step in Indonesia’s history by heading towards Solo , the old capital of Indonesia. The city of Solo, or also known as Surakarta, is full of history and cultural heritage attractions.

From Yogyakarta you will take the economy train to Solo. It is not only faster by train than car, but this 1 hour journey is the perfect opportunity to get to know the local way of commuting.

cycling through solo

In Solo you will start with a fun bicycle trip through the rural areas of Solo. Along the way you can stop at home industries, which of course include Solo’s famous batik crafts .

royal cooking class

Solo is also known as the Culinary City of Indonesia as it operates on 24 hours of culinary life. The streets are packed with warung selling traditional Javanese food as well as food that is influenced by many different cuisines. Is there any better way to get to know the locals than by their food? Exclusively for you we have set up a cooking class with actual descendants of the royal family .

The very special cooking class will take place inside the palace walls in the descendants of the royal family’s home. Learn techniques for traditional Solo dishes, drink some freshly brewed jamu (traditional Indonesian medicine) and learn how to fold a ‘nasi bungkus’ as you are not only cooking for yourself, but also for the children of the neighbourhood!

city walk & local theater

After lunch you can stroll around the beautiful city and end the afternoon with viewing a ‘Wayang Orang Sriwedari’ performance in a local theater.

walks on the country side

After Solo you will drive until you reach a small, not often visited temple. This temple, dedicated to Shiva, is thought to be built in the 15th century when Islam was introduced. From here you will start with a wonderful walk through agriculture fields , small farming villages, clove plantations and enjoying amazing views. You will reach a small reserve with a waterfall and swimming pools filled with natural spring water set amidst large fern trees: a great way to wash your sweat away.

days

tour themes

culture

local life

adventure

nature

highlights salatiga

javanese spa

From Yogyakarta you can explore the beautiful mountains of Central Java together with a visit to a small colonial city. You can indulge yourself in a typical Javanese spa , famous for its typical massage techniques to relax after a long, but beautiful hike.

volcanoes

The Merapi volcanoe has spectacular views over the surroundings and you can see the lava streams by jeep. From here it is a wonderful hike via the slopes of the Merbabu mountain towards the town of Salatiga . You will pass small villages from where you have excellent views over the Merbabu as well as the Merapi mountain. You will not be following the main road, but mostly secundary roads to interact with villagers along the way.

gedung songo temples

When the weather is clear you can even see the Telomoyo mountain as well as the Rawa Pening swamp. Salatiga is a small town, but the surroundings are infamous. From exploring the nearby mountains, you can also visit hindu temples and colonial plantations.

Tour itinerary Insight Malang

4

days

tour themes

culture

cycling

food

beach

nature

highlights malang

malang by becak

With its rich history and beautiful colonial buildings from the Dutch era that still stand today, Malang is a very popular city to visit in East Java. By becaks you will explore the different neighbourhoods of the city as well as the lively markets . The guide will take you to the must visit places for traditional snacks and dishes to provide you with a taste of typical Malang!

into the heart of majapahit

South to Malang you can find an idyllic fishermen village which is the gateway to a small island with a great forest and a nice beach. You can visit this village or island on your way to Blitar , a charming town located between a beautiful forest, caves and a volcanoe where you can still find many remains of the Majapahit Kingdom , including one of the largest and most beautiful Hindu temples of East Java. Blitar is also the birth place as well as the last resting place of legendary first president Soekarno who proclaimed the independence of Indonesia. A great way to explore this quaint town is by bicycle or motorcycle , but you can also choose to go out of Blitar and be amazed by the impressive nature . A picnic lunch is brought along that will be set in a beautiful place amidst rice terraces.

Tour itinerary Insight Banyuwangi

3

days

tour themes

food

local life

nature

highlights banyuwangi

traditional village

Banyuwangi was the last Hindu-Buddhist realm in Java to fall under Dutch colonial rule. Its position between two powerful neighbours has shaped its history and its culture. To the east lay Hindu Bali and to the west muslim areas were expanding increasingly. You will visit a small village where you meet a community that still lives by this mix of hindu and islamic religion . Their dialect contains Old Javanese and Balinese words and there is a dance-drama spoken in High Javanese, but accompanied by a Balinese orchestra. These locals are nowadays mostly adherents of Islam, although there are some who still follow Hinduism. It is not uncommon to see mosques and puras (Hindu temples) to be built nearby to each other in Banyuwangi.

learn to cook a spiritual dish

There is one very important dish to the community which is prepared at all the ceremonies and also on Sunday and Thursday afternoons when many of the local villagers give thanks at the grave of the founder of the town. The dish is an offer to the spirits of the ancestors . Together with some local women of the village you will be cooking this dish in a traditional kitchen, a fun experience! Other than the fascinating beliefs, customs and friendliness of the people, it is a beautiful town amidst rice fields, great for walks.

overnight in the local community

You can choose to overnight in one of the traditional homes . In the evening a delicious dinner will be prepared which you will eat in a beautiful outside area lit with torches where traditional dances are performed.

colonial plantation tour

Not far from this village is a plantation located that still has that colonial feeling about it. Take a tour over this plantation where you learn about the various trees, ranging from coffee- and cocoa to rubber- and cinnamon trees.